Giving space to women on her canvas
We get absorbed in the lives of others and in a sense we lose our ‘I’,” says the multi-creative artiste Dillai Joseph Rodrigo. Co-founder of the advertising company, ‘The next big think’, Dillai wears many hats as a career woman, artist, musician, wife and mother of two.
Her experiences led her to realize that as a woman, “there’s a common thread that goes across our souls” and hence her second solo exhibition is titled, ‘Soulscapes’. It will be on at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery from October 5 to 7.
Soulscapes follows, “People, Puddles and Paradise” held in 2015. “I take a long time to paint,” the ever-busy Dillai laughs adding, “it’s because I don’t like to compromise on my work.” While her last exhibition explored random subject matter this time around Soulscapes has a more focused theme.
As a former student of Nadine David, Dillai has kept in touch with the art scene by exhibiting her work in joint exhibitions with Nadine’s former students, at Colomboscope, the Galle Literary Festival etc. Although she never expected a positive response, many seemed to connect with her paintings– a mix of contemporary topics brought to life with classical techniques.
Capturing women with delicate grace, Dillai has explored their inner being. Accompanied by flora or fauna these women are left to their own devices “giving them the space they might be lacking” in their otherwise hectic daily routines.
Being a woman is like a juggling act – the prevalent ‘mom-guilt’ and self- sacrificial nature of women leads them “to keep their dreams on the back burner,” Dillai says.
Dillai Joseph Rodrigo. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
Always career driven, Dillai had to learn to adjust, juggling a career, kids and homelife from a fairly young age – “if you want to chase your dreams you have to give something else away.”
Dillai whose husband has been supportive of her ambitions says the pressure to work came from within and her plans were slightly broader than being a homemaker, mother and wife.
“My inspiration comes from what’s around me,” she says adding that one of her muses is her grandfather. “He showed us a lot of object drawing and made me fall in love with nature.” At Nadine David’s classes at the age of 19, Dillai also became enamoured with the human form allowing her to establish a connection between nature and humans in her work.
With her second solo exhibit, Dillai noted a maturity shift in her subject matter. She has focused on the something “beyond the flesh” giving audiences a taste of a feminine spirit – soft, gentle, delicate – a paradox set against strong, independent and blissfully peaceful surroundings.
Her painting “A tangled beauty” makes one almost miss the tiny silhouette in the centre of a maze of convoluted creepers. Here Dillai has explored the disarray of a women’s mind as she juggles life. The peaceful face in the centre seems to bask in its chaos making Dillai smile at its beauty with “I stray away from the negative and try to showcase our spirit instead.”
All proceeds from the exhibition will be donated to the local NGO Leads (www.leads.lk). Dillai’s interest in partnering with the organization stemmed from watching ‘ESCAPE’ (Eradication of Sexual Child Abuse, Prostitution & Exploitation) held at the Sooriya Village last year.
“Half of my invitees are members of the organization and this event will allow people to have an awareness and even network with the people behind the scenes,” she states, creating open conversations for those topics we casually sweep under the rug.
‘Soulscapes’ will take place on October 6 and 7 from 8.30 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. at the Lionel Wendt Gallery.